In a duct system for pneumatically conveying a continuous web or strand or strip of material, herein collectively referred to as strip of material, such as the edge trim from a web of paper or plastic sheet or film or the carrier or backer strip for adhesive labels, it is frequently desirable to divert the air conveyed continuous strip of material with a diverter valve between a first duct and a second duct. For example, the air conveyed continuous strip may be transferred or diverted between a first duct connected to a compacter or grinder or shredder and a second duct connected to a baler or pulper or a winder, all commonly used for either recycling or disposing of the material. It is also desirable for the continuously supplied strip material to be diverted on the fly or without stopping the flow of material and without jamming the diverter valve. Thus it is desirable for the diverter valve to operate quickly and to cut or chop the continuously supplied strip of material without any significant restriction to the flow of the strip material in order to prevent the material from collecting within the diverter valve or jamming the valve. In view of the many applications of diverter valves, it is also desirable for a diverter valve to operate in any orientation.
While diverter valves are well known in the prior art, for example, such as the valves disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,547 and 6,182,699, and the diverter valves sold by Nordfab in Thomasville, N.C. under the trademark LASER-QUICK FIT, such diverter valves are used for diverting fluids or fluids conveying small pieces of material and are not effective for diverting an air conveyed continuously supplied strip of material without stopping the continuous flow of the strip and without jamming the diverter valve.